13.16 - Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 13, Verse 16

Verse 13.16 of the Bhagavad Gita reveals a profound paradox about the nature of the Supreme Truth (Paramatma). Sri Krishna explains that the Supreme Lord exists simultaneously both outside and inside all living entities (bahir antaś ca bhūtānām). This omnipresence extends to everything in creation - from the smallest microorganism to the largest celestial bodies, encompassing both the moving and non-moving entities (acaraṁ caram eva ca). The Supreme Truth pervades all of existence while maintaining His distinct identity.

What makes the Supreme Truth particularly fascinating is the seeming contradiction in His nature. Krishna describes Him as extremely subtle (sūkṣmatvāt), which renders Him beyond the perception of our material senses (avijñeyaṁ). This subtlety is similar to how we know air exists around us but cannot see it with our eyes. The Supreme Truth operates at a level of reality that transcends ordinary perception, making Him inaccessible to those relying solely on material faculties to comprehend Him.

Another paradox Krishna presents is that the Supreme Truth is simultaneously far away and very near (dūra-sthaṁ chāntike cha tat). For those engrossed in material consciousness, focused only on sensory pleasures and worldly pursuits, the Lord seems distant and unreachable. Yet for those who have cultivated spiritual awareness through devotion and purification of consciousness, He is incredibly close - residing in their very hearts as the Supersoul, guiding and witnessing their journey.

The Ishopanishad echoes this teaching with the mantra: "The Supreme Brahman does not walk, and yet He walks; He is far, but He is also near. He exists inside everything, but He is also outside everything." These apparent contradictions aren't logical fallacies but rather point to the transcendental nature of the Supreme Truth that defies our limited conceptual frameworks. The Divine Reality operates beyond the dualistic constraints within which our minds typically function.

Though the Supreme Lord appears to be divided because He resides in countless hearts, He remains undivided and whole. This is similar to how the sun may reflect in thousands of water pots, creating seemingly separate reflections, while remaining one undivided source. The Supreme Truth maintains His unity despite His manifestation in multiple forms and places. He is both immanent (present throughout the material creation) and transcendent (beyond material limitations).

As the sustainer of all existence, the Supreme Truth nourishes and maintains every living entity. He provides the necessary conditions for survival - from the cosmic laws that govern the universe to the minute details that support individual lives. Yet paradoxically, He is also the devourer who consumes everything during cosmic dissolution and the creator who brings forth all beings during creation. This cyclical process of creation, maintenance, and dissolution reveals His complete control over the cosmic manifestation.

The verse ultimately points to the mystery of divine accessibility. While the Supreme Truth cannot be known through intellectual or sensory efforts alone, He can be known through His own grace. As Krishna mentioned in verse 13.3, knowing Him constitutes true knowledge, yet here He emphasizes that such knowledge doesn't come through ordinary means. When the Supreme Lord bestows His mercy upon a sincere seeker, only then can that fortunate soul truly comprehend His nature. This divine revelation transforms our understanding from theoretical knowledge to direct realization of the Supreme Truth who is both beyond everything and within everything simultaneously.